Fatal Roads

States › California › Alameda County

FIPS06001

California · county

Alameda County

Residents 1,649,060Deaths 2024 100Deaths 2015–2024 965Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Alameda County (California) had 93 fatal crashes with 100 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 909 fatal crashes and 965 deaths.

With 1,649,060 residents, that is 5.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 43% lower than the California rate of 10.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 17% from 825 in 2005–2014 to 965 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 39.5% against 30.2% for California.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (17%).

100deaths in 202493 fatal crashes
517deaths, 2020–2024965 over ten years
5.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 6.1
-43%vs California ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

089178197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 126 deaths1976: 126 deaths1977: 169 deaths1978: 138 deaths1979: 178 deaths1980: 149 deaths1981: 143 deaths1982: 130 deaths1983: 114 deaths1984: 138 deaths1985: 140 deaths1986: 128 deaths1987: 141 deaths1988: 137 deaths1989: 134 deaths1990: 127 deaths1991: 123 deaths1992: 121 deaths1993: 102 deaths1994: 100 deaths1995: 105 deaths1996: 111 deaths1997: 91 deaths1998: 90 deaths1999: 89 deaths2000: 117 deaths2001: 111 deaths2002: 110 deaths2003: 114 deaths2004: 101 deaths2005: 105 deaths2006: 96 deaths2007: 103 deaths2008: 87 deaths2009: 71 deaths2010: 63 deaths2011: 59 deaths2012: 72 deaths2013: 86 deaths2014: 83 deaths2015: 90 deaths2016: 79 deaths2017: 102 deaths2018: 83 deaths2019: 94 deaths2020: 108 deaths2021: 100 deaths2022: 110 deaths2023: 99 deaths2024: 100 deaths
People killed in crashes in Alameda County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 100 deaths.

Ten-year total up 17% (825 in 2005–2014, 965 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with California and the nation

MeasureAlamedaCaliforniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20245.810.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20246.19.811.5
Deaths, 2015–202496539,702389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202490936,640358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+17%+17%+7%
Crashes on rural roads11%30%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 1,649,060 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking26.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver39.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed30.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used39.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark57.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads10.8%

tick marks the California share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Alameda County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 895 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Sunday17%
Thursday15%
Friday14%
Wednesday14%
Monday12%
Tuesday11%

Light condition

Dark, lighted39%
Daylight37%
Dark, not lighted18%
Dawn3%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate39%
Other principal arterial23%
Minor arterial20%
Major collector7%
Local6%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Minor collector1%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the California share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear79%
Cloudy15%
Rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Alameda

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 880Interstate13615616826%39%
2Interstate 580Interstate12616317229%44%
3Interstate 80Interstate4044549729%34%
4Interstate 680Interstate3913514627%33%
5State Route 84State highway35616528%34%
6State Route 92State highway8202135%35%
7State Route 24State highway7323747%16%
8Interstate 205Interstate126304%23%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
202493100266.1CA 2024
20239299216.0CA 2023
2022106110256.7CA 2022
202196100316.1CA 2021
2020101108306.5CA 2020
20198894165.7CA 2019
20187683165.0CA 2018
201798102296.2CA 2017
20167579204.8CA 2016
20158490235.5CA 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Alameda County, California?

100 people died in 93 fatal crashes in 2024; 517 over 2020–2024 and 965 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Alameda compare with California?

5.8 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.1 for California and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Alameda involved alcohol?

26.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.9% in California. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 39.5%.

Which roads in Alameda see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 880 (136 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 580 (126 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 80 (40 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Alameda?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (17%); 57.7% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.